Boise District Students Named Idaho's U.S. Presidential Scholars

Idaho's U.S. Presidential Scholars from Boise District

Posted on 05/10/2017

Two Boise School District high school seniors have been named 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholars for Idaho, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students. Boise High's Elizabeth S. Lee and Capital High's Henry Zhang, are among 161 Presidential Scholars announced by the U.S. Department of Education.

The 2017 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts and 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

As U.S. Presidential Scholars Lee and Zhang will receive an expense-paid trip to Washington, D. C. in June and will be presented the U.S. Presidential Scholars medallion at a ceremony sponsored by the White House, in commemoration of their achievements.

Selections are based on academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership, and commitment to high ideals the U.S. Department of Education says.

The program was created in 1964 to "recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors," according to a prepared statement from the program, which added that the students have "demonstrated scholarship, leadership, artistic excellence and selfless service to others."